


Complications in Quidditch and Dating

by Goodnight_Burrito33



Series: Harry Potter and his Daemon [8]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman
Genre: Alternate Universe - Daemons, Hogwarts Fourth Year, One Shot, One Shot Collection, Yule Ball
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-10
Updated: 2018-01-10
Packaged: 2019-03-03 06:31:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,531
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13335444
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Goodnight_Burrito33/pseuds/Goodnight_Burrito33
Summary: "Much later, in the darkness of the girl’s tent, Ginny asks who Hermione thinks is the cutest player is. With quite a lot of prodding Hermione admits that Krum is quite handsome for someone who looks like they've never smiled a day in their life."A little look at Hermione's relationship with Viktor Krum during her 4th year at Hogwarts.





	Complications in Quidditch and Dating

**Author's Note:**

> I'M BACK! This has been in the works since the summer but I started uni again and it got in the way of course! I'll be working on more stories in this series as well perhaps a full mutli-chaptered story. If you have any requests for things you'd like to see in the AU let me know!

"He's unbelievable. He's really young too. Only just eighteen or something. He's a genius, you wait until tonight, you'll see." 

At the first sight of Viktor Krum on his broom Hermione thinks Ron is going to have a fit. He's scanning the pitch trying to catch a glimpse of Krum's daemon. "You know; I've read tons of articles about how he's got probably the biggest daemon of all of the international Quidditch players. But he's real private 'bout it. Lot of people reckon it's a whale or something like that."

Hermione rolls her eyes at that and tunes out the rest of "a history of Viktor Krum" presented by Ronald Weasley. 

The first thing she learned about witches and wizards is that they, unlike muggles, have a much wider range of distance between them and their daemon. It has even been speculated that witches and wizards in the past used their daemons to carry messages, but that had yet to be proven. 

In the handful of Quidditch books Hermione had read in preparation for the World Cup had talked ad nauseam about the daemons of notable Quidditch players, what they meant, what kind of daemon meant you’d be a natural, what kind of daemons are unsuitable for the game etcetera. In terms of the role of daemons in the sport, general consensus was that daemons were to be left in the change rooms, out of harm’s way. In the past players with small daemons would carry them in their robes, saying it made them better flyers to have their souls close, but after an Egyptian seeker died when a fall from his broom squished his mouse daemon, the practice fell out of fashion. 

Ron is right about Krum being secretive about his daemon though; in all of the books not one could say for sure what it was. 

After the spectacular match, Ron is again disappointed when Krum's daemon doesn't join them in the booth. But he is placated by the Irish seeker's daemon, is a pretty green song bird who flits around Leal's head. 

Much later, in the darkness of the girl’s tent, Ginny asks who Hermione thinks is the cutest player is. With quite a lot of prodding Hermione admits that Krum is quite handsome for someone who looks like they've never smiled a day in their life. 

***

Viktor Krum's daemon as it turns out, is a yak with a caramel and blond shaggy coat. Hermione only gets a glimpse of the creature, as he's hurried inside by Karkaroff, who's vulture daemon fixes them all with a steely glare. 

Once inside the warm great hall, and the meal has begun Hermione tunes out of the conversation between Harry and Ron and instead looks around the hall, taking in the foreign faces. Most of the Beauxbaton students have looks of cold distain on their faces, the students from Durmstrang look bored. 

An intriguing detail about these students are their daemons. Hermione has read every book there is on daemon theory, and it’s quite interesting to try to figure out what kind of person someone is based on the shape of their soul. All of the Beauxbaton students seem to have beautiful, sleek but inconspicuously deadly. There's a girl near the end of the of Ravenclaw table whose Daemon is an iridescent blue ring octopus, that is floating around them in a little bubble of water. A little father away Kenway points out what they think might be a poison dart frog. 

All of the Durmstrang students are a little less disguised in their ferocity. She counts at least 5 large wolfs. And is not quite surprised to see a bear sitting by the Slytherin table. 

It all clicks into place after the announcement about the Tri-Wizard Tournament. On the way back to the common room after the feast Hermione tells the boys her suspicion. "I mean did you get a look at their daemons? I'd bet you they're all handpicked by their headmasters to enter." Around them everyone is twittering about the tournament. 

"I ‘unno," Harry says, stroking Nelvara's head from where it peeks out from  
Under his collar. "Might just be that they're old enough?"

"Come on Harry. The Beauxbaton lot have pretty but dangerous animals, and did you see those wolves? What kind of person has a daemon like that?" Hermione retorts, Kenway is nodding vicariously in agreement. 

"Charlie's got a wolf," Ron said defensively as Leal raises her hackles slightly. 

"Yes but Ella doesn't look like she'd like to rip your face off now does she," Hermione says frustration edging into her voice. 

"Guess you’re right," Ron mumbles. 

"But it doesn't explain Krum and his furry cow," Harry says as they climb through the portrait hole. 

In exasperation Hermione rolls her eyes. "She's a Yak, not a cow. And come on Harry, use your brain. If the most famous, youngest seeker in Quidditch went to your school would you leave him behind?"

***

Hermione officially meets Krum later that week in library. He seems to have given Karkaroff and his band of fan girls the slip, and is reading tucked away behind the shelves. She is reaching for a book on her tippy toes when a very muscular arm appears above her and grabs the book. 

"Oh!" She squeaks when she turns around to find that he is standing quite close, heat radiating off of his body. Hermione feels her cheeks flush as he takes a step back and hands her the book. 

"Thank you," she manages to breath, beside her on the ground Kenway digs his little claws into her leg feeling quite as flustered as she is. 

"I am Viktor," he says.

"I know... I mean nice to meet you," her blush deepens and she thinks her hair might catch on fire. "I'm Hermione. And uh, this is Kenway." 

From where Viktor had been sitting before, his daemon stands and joins them. "She is Zhenya," Viktor introduces the yak, who bobs her head slightly. Now that they are close Hermione can see that her horns are decorated with yarn wrappings. 

From outside the library the bell rings and they both jump. "I have to go. To class," she says awkwardly. "It was lovely to meet you."

"Yes. And same to you," he says and he watches her leave. 

***

After their first awkward encounter Hermione thinks that Viktor might have memorized her schedule because every time she's in the library he joins her at the table. 

He has a terrible time trying to say her name, though he does his best. He's not very talkative, but he does tell her about Durmstrang, which boils down to it being very cold. He says very little about his child hood; stern parents resulted in a privileged but very controlled up brining. Unfortunately, Viktor has the most to say about Quidditch which Hermione finds painfully dull. 

Fortunately, he seems to like listening to her talk, and often asks her questions about classes or childhood. 

He's generally quiet and stony faced during their time in the library but the time she manages to make him smile her stomach flip flops at the sight. 

Later in the girl’s washroom she confines in Ginny that his whole face changes when he smiles. 

***

During the night after Harry is picked as the fourth champion, Hermione worries a bit selfishly that this will change her budding friendship with the older boy, but Kenway scolds her. 

"Harry's been our friend much long than Viktor. And Viktor knows that," the raccoon says as they lay in bed 

"You're right." 

"Of course I'm right."

She avoids the library for the next few days until the animosity between Harry and Ron is just too much to bare and she has to escape somehow. 

Her heart is pounding as she nears her usual table and finds Viktor sitting hunched over a book. Gathering herself together Hermione deliberately sits across from him, letting her book bag think down onto the table. He jumps and looks up. 

Before he can speak she stops him. "Harry is my best friend, and I am not going to -" 

"I know. I am having no ill feelings toward this boy. We are also friends are we not?"

"I... yes of course we're friends," Hermione says avoiding his gaze. Her cheeks explode into a blush when his fingers touch her chin and raise her head. 

"Good. I am glad that we are friends," Viktor leans back and goes back to reading. 

Hermione takes a very deep breath before pulling out her potions essay to revise. She really hates feeling flustered. 

***

Despite their reconciliation Hermione sees very little of Viktor leading up to the first task. She sees him in the library but he doesn't join her because often Harry is with her. When she catches his eye from behind the bookshelf she smiles at him. Hermione appreciates the distance, honestly Harry is a bit of a mess right now, Ron as well and there's only so many moody boys she can handle at one time. 

***

"Vould you join me for a valk?" Viktor catches Hermione as she's leaving the library for lunch. With midterms coming up she hasn't had any time to enjoy his company so he's kept his distance. 

"Oh, I'd love to but I'm quite hungry actually."

"Is no problem," Viktor dismisses this as he pulls who sandwiches wrapped in napkins. 

"Well then sure," Hermione takes the sandwich and pulls the thick scarf around her neck to cover the exposed skin. There's not much snow yet, but the air is nippy. Viktor, though wearing the durmstrang uniform of blood red wool and fur, has no extra covering and seems quite at home in the cold. 

Kenway trots along behind them, but they have to keep stopping for him to shake the snow off of his paws. Viktor offers to let Kenway ride on Zhenya's back, and once the raccoon is settled in, everyone is much happier and it's smooth sailing as they walk around the shore of the lake. 

"Do you know of this Yule Ball?" He asks abruptly.

"Yes?" 

"I am wondering if you would like to join me."

"Oh!" Hermione's cheeks redden as she stops walking. "As your date?" 

Viktor nods curtly.

"Oh well I would love to Viktor," Hermione smiles and Viktor just nods again and they continue their walk. 

She tells Lavender and Pavarti she has a date to the Ball, but doesn't mention who. Giddily they ask her to join them in getting ready. Almost equally as giddily she accepts, because as much as she loves Harry and Ron, they're useless when it comes to anything remotely girly. 

It's Ginny who she actually tells who her date it. The younger girl is equally excited for her and apprehensive. "I mean, he's quite a bit older than you." She says, as a they wash their hands in the bathroom sinks. 

"Yes well, it's just a ball," Hermione says, drying her hands on the towel. Ginny wipes her hands on her pants and rolls her eyes. 

"Ron is going to have a cow."

"I'm not quite sure what Ronald has to do with this," Hermione snaps, so Ginny makes amends by offering to lend her a pair of earrings to match her outfit and that's the end of that conversation. 

***

The ball is beautiful, and Hermione thinks that Lavender and Pavarti have done a beautiful job with her hair. Kenway is freshly bathed, and Hermione has tied a matching blue ribbon around his neck. When she meets Viktor he gives her one of the little silver bells that decorate Zhenya’s horns, and Kenway slips it onto the ribbon so both of their daemons twinkly along behind them as they walk to the ball. 

From the corner of her eye Hermione can see the glares she getting from the girls, Viktor’s fan club especially, but Viktor is hand on the small of her back and she’s much closer to him than she’s ever been before so it’s easy to ignore them. 

*** 

The ending of the ball is disastrous; she could absolutely just murder Ron. She has a dream where she pushes him into the lake and she giant squid drags him under. Hermione wakes up with a start feeling sick to her stomach and extremely guilty. Ginny and Morgan try to convince Hermione to join them for lunch, but makes the mistake of saying that Harry and Ron are waiting in the common room, so Hermione refuses and decides she’ll just have to starve to death. 

Hermione is roused again by Kenway tugging on her hair. She swats the daemon away and sits up. She’s startled to see a brown barn owl tapping its beak against the tower window. She hurries over and opens the window. The owl hops in, drops the letter it’s holding and flies away. Hermione opens it quickly and reads its contents to Kenway and the empty dorm. 

“Hermione, please join me by the great lake, I will be waiting for you, Viktor.” Hermione nearly falls over in her haste to get dressed. In record time, Hermione is bundled up and sprinting down the stairs holding Kenway tightly to her chest. Once outside she scans the grounds and spots Viktor standing by the lake. Zhenya spots them first and she buts her shaggy head against Viktor, he turns and waves at Hermione, which she returns slightly awkwardly because of the raccoon daemon filling her arms. She feels giddy and nervous. 

Kenway digs his claws into her shoulder and hisses “get it together.” 

“Thank you for meeting me,” Viktor says once she reaches him. 

“It was really no problem, happy to really,” she stumbles over her words and feels her cheeks heat up. 

“Shall we walk?” Viktor offers her his elbow, which after situating Kenway over her shoulder she takes. They walk in silence around the shore of the lake. Kenway’s little nails are digging into the exposed skin on her neck and she keeps having to re-adjust him as her shoulder begins to ache under his weight. 

“I vas vanting to thank you for a very good night last night. I vas enjoying myself.” 

Hermione looks up at Viktor through her eyelashes, her blush deepening still. “Oh well of course. I had a lovely time as well.” 

“And I vas not able to give you something I had been vishing to give you,” Viktor stops walking, and turns to face Hermione. Distantly she realizes they aren’t in view of the castle any more.

“o-oh?” 

“Yes. I vas hopping that I vould be able to kiss you.” 

Hermione can only squeak as he places his hand on her cheek. He raises his eyebrow and she gives him a little nod. So Viktor leans in and presses his lips against hers. Kenway slides off of her shoulder and hits the snow covered ground with a little thud. She feels lighter than air as Viktor’s lips move against her. In the back of her mind she can here Ginny saying “Ron’s going to have a cow.” Well Ron could give birth to entire farm if he wanted to, Hermione could care less.

**Author's Note:**

> Hermione & Kenway (raccoon)  
> Viktor & Zhenya (Yak)  
> Harry & Nelvara (snake)  
> Ron & Leal (redbone coonhound)
> 
> Karkarof & Unnamed Daemon (vulture)


End file.
